Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

California Countdown

Aired August 12, 2003 - 13:46   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The California recall is taking on the appearance of a game show. Officials picked a new order for the English alphabet using a rotating drum to pick letters at random. That will determine the order of names on the ever-lengthening ballot.
We get the latest on the California countdown from of course our CNN's Bob Franken in Los Angeles.

Bob, what did I hear? You were chasing Arnold Schwarzenegger, trying to get him to talk politics, and he blew you off? What's up with that?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you pretty much just encapsulated the story. He is, of course, following the strategy thus far of not getting caught up in specific positions on the various issues and getting some criticism from the media. But also, some advice from some of his consultants that the worst thing in the world to do would be put specifics out there where they can be dissected by the very same media who have been encouraging the comments. It's worked for other politicians.

Whether he will hold to that, or whether in fact he will keep his promise to put out some of these positions before the election is something is an open question, but it has been one of the few bits of flack that Schwarzenegger has gotten thus far, amidst all the coverage of his candidacy, among the hundred-plus, well over 100 candidates who will probably appear on the ballot, in case the one candidate, Governor Gray Davis, is, in fact, voted out of office.

PHILLIPS: All right, Bob, Daniel Sieberg and I just named you the "Franken-ator.": Do you like that new title? Does that work well.

FRANKEN: Franken-atee is probably the better way to look at it. But the truth is that Schwarzenegger has done quite well, thank you, with media coverage thus far, in spite of the fact he has decided what he's going to do and when he's going to do it.

PHILLIPS: All right, well, let's talk about the ACLU filing a restraining order for the election not to happen on the 7th. What legal hurdles are out there now?

FRANKEN: Well, so far, the various attempts to stop the election have not been successful in court. But the ACLU is claiming because of the fact that six of the most populous counties in California use the discredited punch card machines -- you certainly remember those from Florida -- that the people who live in those counties in California are not protected equally under the law, a violation of the 14th Amendment. And they say there's a disproportionate of African- Americans, and Latinos and poor people, because they're the ones who live in those counties, who would be treated unfairly. Therefore, the election should be put on hold, at least to until the proper machines can be put in place. Convenient time would be next March's presidential primary. Thus far, of course, the court challenges to this have not been successful, as I said.

PHILLIPS: Well, Bob, can the state even pull off an election with 200 candidates?

FRANKEN: Well, the secretary of state says they'll somehow do it, but it's going to be a huge problem. The mechanism for just getting all those candidates on the ballot is just going to be an enormous thing to get them printed in time. There of course is such a huge potential for mistakes. And at the very least, officials say if everything works well, it will at least be several days before they have the final results.

PHILLIPS: Our Bob Franken, live from Los Angeles. We'll continue to check in with you. Thanks, Bob.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired August 12, 2003 - 13:46   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The California recall is taking on the appearance of a game show. Officials picked a new order for the English alphabet using a rotating drum to pick letters at random. That will determine the order of names on the ever-lengthening ballot.
We get the latest on the California countdown from of course our CNN's Bob Franken in Los Angeles.

Bob, what did I hear? You were chasing Arnold Schwarzenegger, trying to get him to talk politics, and he blew you off? What's up with that?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you pretty much just encapsulated the story. He is, of course, following the strategy thus far of not getting caught up in specific positions on the various issues and getting some criticism from the media. But also, some advice from some of his consultants that the worst thing in the world to do would be put specifics out there where they can be dissected by the very same media who have been encouraging the comments. It's worked for other politicians.

Whether he will hold to that, or whether in fact he will keep his promise to put out some of these positions before the election is something is an open question, but it has been one of the few bits of flack that Schwarzenegger has gotten thus far, amidst all the coverage of his candidacy, among the hundred-plus, well over 100 candidates who will probably appear on the ballot, in case the one candidate, Governor Gray Davis, is, in fact, voted out of office.

PHILLIPS: All right, Bob, Daniel Sieberg and I just named you the "Franken-ator.": Do you like that new title? Does that work well.

FRANKEN: Franken-atee is probably the better way to look at it. But the truth is that Schwarzenegger has done quite well, thank you, with media coverage thus far, in spite of the fact he has decided what he's going to do and when he's going to do it.

PHILLIPS: All right, well, let's talk about the ACLU filing a restraining order for the election not to happen on the 7th. What legal hurdles are out there now?

FRANKEN: Well, so far, the various attempts to stop the election have not been successful in court. But the ACLU is claiming because of the fact that six of the most populous counties in California use the discredited punch card machines -- you certainly remember those from Florida -- that the people who live in those counties in California are not protected equally under the law, a violation of the 14th Amendment. And they say there's a disproportionate of African- Americans, and Latinos and poor people, because they're the ones who live in those counties, who would be treated unfairly. Therefore, the election should be put on hold, at least to until the proper machines can be put in place. Convenient time would be next March's presidential primary. Thus far, of course, the court challenges to this have not been successful, as I said.

PHILLIPS: Well, Bob, can the state even pull off an election with 200 candidates?

FRANKEN: Well, the secretary of state says they'll somehow do it, but it's going to be a huge problem. The mechanism for just getting all those candidates on the ballot is just going to be an enormous thing to get them printed in time. There of course is such a huge potential for mistakes. And at the very least, officials say if everything works well, it will at least be several days before they have the final results.

PHILLIPS: Our Bob Franken, live from Los Angeles. We'll continue to check in with you. Thanks, Bob.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com